History

Formation

The Otago Excursion Train Trust was formed in 1978 to operate excursions on the Otago Central Railway line, running its first train in October 1979.[2] The services grew in popularity and the Trust realised by the 1980s that it had great tourist potential.[2] New carriages were acquired with the "Taieri Gorge Limited" launching in February 1987.[2]

In 1989 the New Zealand Railways Corporation announced the closure of the Otago Central railway line beyond Taieri owing to a lack of freight traffic following the completion of the Clyde Dam. Dunedin City Council then stepped in, purchasing the line as far as Middlemarch in 1990, which was then leased by the Trust to run its trains. The Trust continued to operate the Taieri Gorge Limited, now with its own locomotives (DJ class locomotives withdrawn by NZR in the same year), but needed a further $1m to fund is operations. A community appeal raised $1.2m.[2] The line beyond Middlemarch was lifted during 1991, and the trackbed handed over to the Department of Conservation in 1993. It is now the Otago Central Rail Trail, a major cycling tourist attraction in the area.

On 8 March 1995 the Dunedin City Council (through its holding company Dunedin City Holdings Limited) and the Trust incorporated a new company, Taieri Gorge Railway Limited.[3] Dunedin City Holdings has a majority of shares (72.03%) and the Trust holds the balance of the shares (27.97%). The company operates as a Council-controlled organisation (formerly known as a Local-authority trading enterprise) under Part 5 of the Local Government Act 2002. This was due to the need to raise more capital to finance expansion of the Trusts operation. Dunedin City Council then sold the railway line to the new company, and the Trust sold its locomotives, carriages and other assets to the new company.[2]

The line travels through spectacular scenery along the banks of the Taieri River, through numerous tunnels and climbing along the Taieri Gorge to the Strath Taieri. It crosses a dozen viaducts, including the southern hemisphere's largest wrought iron structure, and passes through ten tunnels.[4]

At Wingatui Railway Station, the original building and signal box from 1914 has been restored and is one of the best remaining island platform stations in New Zealand.[5] After the line passes through the 437 metres (1,434 ft) long Salisbury Tunnel, the longest on the line, it crosses Mullocky Gully over the 197 metres (646 ft) long Wingatui Viaduct, the largest wrought iron structure in New Zealand since it was built in 1887.[6] The 47m tall viaduct's riveted lattice structure rests on seven concrete and masonry piers.

Shortly after Wingatui Viaduct, the route emerges from Mullocky Gully to join Taieri Gorge, and from then on follows that gorge above Taieri River to just east of Pukerangi. On the way the line passes former stations Parera, Mount Allen, Little Mount Allen, and Christmas Creek, crossing two curved viaducts at the latter two locations. Hindon, still operating as a crossing station, is typically one of the stopping points on the trip. Just before the station, the railway tracks share a combined road-rail bridge with Hindon Road, a local backroad.

Another popular stopping point for photo opportunities is the Deep Stream viaduct. Here the line slowly starts to climb higher and out of the gorge, passing over the Flat Stream viaduct, and "The Notches", a section of short bridges and cuttings through several rocky outcrops, on its way to Pukerangi. Between Pukerangi and Middlemarch, the railway only once more comes close to the Taieri River, where it crosses Sutton Creek over another combined road-rail bridge.

The train operates daily to Pukerangi and on summer Fridays and Sundays to Middlemarch.

Seasider and Dunedin Silver Fern

Dunedin Railways also operates the Seasider tourist train along the coast to Palmerston, north of Dunedin, with bus connections to the Taieri Gorge Limited at Middlemarch. Following the withdrawal of the Southerner by Tranz Scenic in 2002, it is the only passenger train on the Main South Line.

In 2012 Dunedin Railways leased one of the Silver Fern class railcars from KiwiRail for use on the same route as the Seasider.

Rebranded Dunedin Railways

On 23 October 2014 the Taieri Gorge Railway announced that it would be changing its name to Dunedin Railways. For 35 years the Taieri Gorge Railway and the Otago Excursion Train Trust had taken tourists on scenic rail excursions up the Taieri Gorge to Middlemarch and more recently up the coast, north of Dunedin on the Seasider. The reason for the change was so that tourists can link the train trips to Dunedin and it makes it much clearer what the railway is.[7] AO 77 was the first carriage to be repainted into their new blue livery with their name on the sides in October 2014. This was followed by A 3022 and AG 239. In September 2015 AL 1695 was repainted into their yellow version of livery.

Locomotives

The railway owns eight former New Zealand Railways DJ class locomotives, six of which are currently operational and certified for mainline operation. They are painted in a variant of the modified NZR 'International Orange' scheme carried by the class in the 1980s, where the low nose sides are painted blue instead of yellow and grey cab front. A seventh, DJ 3021 (ex-DJ 1202), is stored in the Middlemarch goods shed pending future restoration after it was purchased from its former home at Ranfurly station where it was statically displayed. The eighth, DJ 3044 (DJ 1204) was acquired from Mainline Steam in 2012 as a source of spare parts and has been dismantled, although most of the components remain intact. Both were painted in the modified 'International Orange' blue scheme and were in 'as withdrawn' condition.

TGR also operates one DE class locomotive, DE 504 (TMS DE 1337).[8] This locomotive was acquired from Otago Polytechnic in the early 1990s and is not mainline certified, instead being based at the TGR works depot at the 4 km peg. It previously carried a modified 'International Orange' scheme but was repainted in 2006 to its original livery of Carnation Red with the addition of 'wasp stripes' on the headstocks as it would have carried in the 1970s.

In 2013, Dunedin Railways hired Silver Fern railcar RM 24 from KiwiRail and currently operates this on trips between Dunedin and Waitati. The railcar is currently on hire during the 2013-14 summer season from October to April and will be returned to KiwiRail in April 2014 on conclusion of the lease.

Dunedin Railways formerly operateded a shunting locomotive, TR 111 at their Dunedin depot as their resident shunting locomotive. This locomotive was obtained by the Otago Excursion Train Trust in 2009 from enthusiast Reid McNaught, who had leased the locomotive to Dunedin Railways since 2006. It was sold to the Canterbury Railway Society in July 2015.

Entered NZR service on 7 August 1952. Withdrawn on 11 October 1986. It was sold to Otago Polytech around the same time. In 1993 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and restored in their blue livery. It is used for work trains but can sometimes be seen on excursion trains. In 2006 DE 1337 was renumbered as DE 504 and repainted in red with white stripes. It is now available for leasing or purchasing.[9]

Entered NZR service in January 1968. Withdrawn in April 1990 and moved to Ranfurly a year later. In 2000 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and is currently stored at Middlemarch since 15 March 2000 as an unserviceable hulk.

DJ 1204

3044

Mitsubishi

1511

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000002011-01-01-00002011

Entered NZR service in February 1968. Withdrawn in April 1990. Purchased by the Mainline Steam Heritage Trust and moved to their Parnell depot. In 2011 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and scrapped for parts for the six serviceable DJs.

DJ 1209

3096

Mitsubishi

1511

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000002008-02-01-0000February 2008

Entered NZR service on 20 February 1968. Withdrawn in July 1992 but kept as apart of the Tranz Rail Heritage Fleet. It worked at around Northland in November 1995. It was withdrawn in February 2008 and was then purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. Restored to working order in 2009 and repainted in its former Southerner Blue livery. On 19 August 2010 while hauling an excursion service near Flat Stream Viaduct, one of its twin turbo chargers that was allowing turbo cooling oil into its Caterpillar D398 V-12 which damaged the engine block. Further damage was made after a fire broke out by the hot turbocharger. It then spread to the DJ's fuel tank when the fuel level sight glass melted. DJ 3107 hauled the stressed locomotive to Pukerangi where the volunteer fire service put the fire out. It was moved to TGR's Dunedin maintenance depot for rebuilding. The rebuilt included a remanufactured Caterpillar D398 V-12 engine and repairs to the engine room. 1209 returned to service in early January 2012.

DJ 1210

3107

Mitsubishi

1511

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000001992-03-01-0000March 1992

Named Otago Daily Times. Entered NZR service in March 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. On 29 January 1999 it caught fire in the Taieri Gorge during an excursion. Overhauled with a new D398 V-12 engine and repainted. Returned to service on 20 October 2000.

DJ 1221

3211

Mitsubishi

1528

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000001992-03-01-0000March 1992

Entered NZR service in June 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month.

DJ 1222

3228

Mitsubishi

1529

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000001992-03-01-0000March 1992

Entered NZR service in June 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. Repainted in the Southerner Blue livery in 2015.

DJ 1227

3286

Mitsubishi

1534

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000001992-07-01-0000July 1992

Entered NZR service in October 1968. Withdrawn in July 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. In 2011 it was repainted into the Southerner Blue livery and renumbered as DJ 1227 to replace DJ 1209.

DJ 1240

3424

Mitsubishi

1547

000000001967-01-01-00001967

000000001992-07-01-0000July 1992

Entered NZR service in January 1969. Withdrawn in July 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. In 2006 it was repainted into the NZR Midland Red livery and renumbered as DJ 1240 for the Dunedin Railway Station's 100th birthday celebrations where it hauled excursions with visiting locomotives. In 2009 it was repainted back to blue but kept its pre-TMS number. Repainted in the Southerner Blue livery in 2015.

Entered NZR service on 14 December 1972. On 21 November 1975 it was involved with a cattle truck. With repairs done it was returned to service. On 23 December 1993 it was involved with a collision at the Telephone Road level crossing between Eureka and Ruakura. In 2009 RM 24 was refurbished at the Wellington Passenger Depot. In October 2012 by Dunedin Railways from KiwiRail and is now used on excursions.

Carriages

'Scarrett' heritage carriages

All trains currently[update] include some of Dunedin Railways 8 ex-New Zealand Government Railways 'Scarrett' heritage carriages built between 1907 and 1923 in wood with open platform ends and gangways and 37 seats.[8] TGR has started retiring these carriages largely to provide bogies for the 56-foot stock which did not have their own when purchased by Dunedin Railways. A 1327 was sold to the Mainline Steam Heritage Trust in 2013, A 1467, was purchased also in 2013 by a carriage collector and A 1524, was unsuccessfully offered for sale minus bogies on TradeMe in March 2013.

Entered NZR service on 7 December 1907. It was reclassified EA 3559 by the Ways and Works Department on 27 November 1970. It was then renumbered as EA 860 on 1978 and was later withdrawn on 12 August later that year. In the same year it was purchased by Dunedin Railways.

A 1246

A 5052

XPC 372

47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001912-01-01-00001912

000000001978-01-01-00001978

Entered NZR service on 17 August 1912. It was reclassified EA 4018 by the Ways and Works Department on 7 November 1970. It was then renumbered as EA 1692 on 1978 and was later withdrawn in August later that year. In the same year it was purchased by Dunedin Railways.

A 1249

XPC 466

47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001912-01-01-00001912

000000001971-01-01-00001971

Entered NZR service on 9 November 1912. Withdrawn on 10 October 1970. It was then purchased by Dunedin Railways a year later. Mounted to the frame of A 1465.

A 1250

A 50539

XPC 453

47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001912-01-01-00001912

000000001980-01-01-00001980

Entered NZR service on 9 November 1912. It was reclassified as EA 4034 on 26 February 1972 by the Ways and Works Department. Renumbered as Ea 4034 in the same year. In 1978 it was renumbered as A 50539 and EA 1732. Withdrawn in November 1980. It was then purchased by Dunedin Railways on 9 December in same year.

Entered NZR service on 16 September 1916. It was withdrawn in 1977 and sold to the Otago Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society (now the Ocean Beach Railway). It is now leased to Dunedin Railways.

A 1524

A 50512

XPC 412

47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001924-01-01-00001924

N/A

Entered NZR service on 1 March 1924. Mounted to the frame of A 1005. In May 2013 it was put up for sale on Trade Me, but still remains in Dunedin Railways ownership.

A 1532

A 50571

XPC 440

47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001923-01-01-00001923

000000001976-01-01-00001976

Entered NZR service in 1923. Reclassified as EA 4019 on 12 December 1970 by the Ways and Works Department. Withdrawn on 11 September 1976. It was then sold to Dunedin Railways later that year.

50-foot

Dunedin Railways has currently three steel-clad and one wood-clad NZR 50-foot carriages, formerly used on Dunedin suburban trains and express passenger trains. The steel-clads have 30-37 seats, enclosed vestibules and covered gangways and were built by New Zealand Railways Department in 1931-40.[8] One of these is an AL class car-van with a small luggage compartment at one end while the other two are A class carriages. Steel-cladded cars, As 50159 and 50223 were sold to the Weka Pass Railway in 2008 and AL 50090 was sold to the Midland Rail Heritage Trust in 2013. The wooden clad is A 1327, built in 1913, with open estibules and non-covered gangways.

Entered NZR service on 11 October 1930. Withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same year. Restored in 2009. First carriage to be repainted into the yellow version of the Dunedin Railways in 2015.

A 1720

A 50084

XPC 588

50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001931-01-01-00001931

000000001983-01-01-00001983

Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. Withdrawn in August 1983 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. It is currently being overhauled. It is now in storage as of October 2015.

A 1729

A 50124

XPC 575

50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach

NZR Addington Workshops

000000001931-01-01-00001931

000000001983-01-01-00001983

Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. Withdrawn in August 1983 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. Second carriage to be repainted into the yellow version of the Dunedin Railways in 2015.

'Jungle Gym' TGR panorama cars

TGR has three all-steel air conditioned panorama cars with open platform ends and open gangways similar to the 'Scarrett' cars, known locally as 'Jungle Gyms' due to the nature of their framework when under construction. These were designed and built by the OETT in 1987-92, with a "very distinctive shape to fit the tunnels".[8] Two of these carriages were built on Z class 'roadsider' van underframes while the third was built on the underframe of guard's van F 529.

56-foot

In September 2007 the TGR announced that it had purchased 12 NZR 56-foot carriages formerly used on the Wairarapa Connection to replace its heritage wooden open platform cars[4] and its ex-Dunedin suburban NZR 50-foot carriages.[citation needed] The first of these, A 2325, was prepared at a cost of $45,000 and was ready in September 2008. The company anticipated having three carriages in service by the end of 2008, and all 12 by 2013.[11] The upgrade included new seating, carpets, toilets and external paint. The railway intends to refurbish three carriages each year.[12] As of December 2015, only five out of the twelve carriages have been restored. A 3022 is leased from its owners, John and Rolf Christensen. It has been leased to Dunedin Railways since 2013 and has been repainted into Dunedin Railways new livery of dark blue. Dunedin Railways are currently storing 10 AO and 4 ASO carriages for KiwiRail in Middlemarch.

Entered NZR service on 4 January 1941. Withdrawn in 1999 and stored at Masterton. It was then stored at Feilding. It was then purchased by John & Rolf Christensen in October 2008 and arrived in Dunedin later that month.

Renumbered XPC 615 under Dunedin Railways ownership. Formerly used as a luggage vwagon on passenger trains. Now for sale.

Z 362

Z 1083

Box

N/A

N/A

N/A

Renumbered XPC 602 under Dunedin Railways ownership. Used as a luggage wagon on passenger trains.

Unidentified ZA

ZA 4508

Box

N/A

N/A

N/A

Unidentified Zl

ZL 462

Box

N/A

N/A

000000002012-01-01-00002012

Fitted with a 80 kVA generator. Used on passenger trains.

Unidentified ZP

ZP 1176

Box

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

000000001968-01-01-00001968

N/A

ZP 737

ZP 1460

ZP 10944

Box

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

000000001968-01-01-00001968

N/A

ZP 1061

ZP 5035

ZP 14502

Box

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

000000001968-01-01-00001968

N/A

Freight haulage

In the early 2000s the TGR investigated the possibility of introducing log haulage between Mount Allan and Port Chalmers at the end of the Port Chalmers Branch. However, on 12 June 2007 it was announced that a cost difference of NZ$5 million existed between road and rail haulage in favour of road, and potential government subsidies were insufficient to close the gap. The announcement was met with disappointment by the Dunedin City Council, which favourably viewed the rail option as it was more environmentally friendly and would have reduced traffic congestion.[13]

It has since been worked out that with extra damage caused by the logging trucks on the Mosgiel to Port Chalmers road that it would have been cheaper to perform the operation by rail, but despite pleas by the local council, Wenita, the relevant company, said it had invested too much in the road option to change its plans.[citation needed]

The route's loading gauge restricts the maximum size of rolling stock that can operate on the railway; some freight wagons cannot use the line.[8]